It's not here yet, but next week Microsoft is hosting a media event where it is expected to unveil launch details for the highly-anticipated Windows Phone 7 platform. With Microsoft's virtual absence from the smartphone arena in recent years, and the rise of iPhone and Android, Windows Phone 7 may be too little, too late. However, there are a few compelling reasons to take a closer look and consider making a switch to Windows Phone 7.

1. Hubs. The hubs concept is one of the smartphone paradigm shifts imagined by Microsoft. Grouping apps and functions based on general categories is an innovative and effective means of navigating the smartphone. Case in point--since Apple introduced the ability to nest apps in folders under iOS 4.0 I have essentially gone through and implemented a similar concept by creating categorized folders and housing the appropriate apps there. The iPhone version just requires more manual effort on my part.

2. Tiles. Rather than a smartphone display filled with little app icons a' la iPhone, or Android (or a Windows PC), Windows Phone 7 uses tiles. These large squares let you see at-a-glance what is going on in your connected mobile world. How many e-mails have arrived, how many phone calls or voicemail messages have come in, or what's new on your social networks. There are apps and push notifications on iPhone and Android that perform similar functions, but not as clearly and intuitively as the Windows Phone 7 tiles.

3. Try-Before-You-Buy. Microsoft lets you try out apps before deciding whether or not to purchase them. I have wasted a fair amount of money buying iPhone apps only to find out they don't really do what I need, or just suck at what they do. Even apps that are free place a burden on me to then uninstall them. Having the ability to check out an app before purchasing is a significant value for users, and will also benefit developers--at least the ones that make decent apps.

5. Integration. Windows Phone 7 is a platform that combines Office productivity, Exchange e-mail, Xbox Live gaming, search, music, and voice communications. Granted, that is not all that unique in a smartphone these days. In fact, it's more of a baseline requirement. But, Windows Phone 7 meshes the various elements of your digital life together more seamlessly and intuitively than other smartphones--especially for users that are already more or less Microsoft-centric in other areas.

Not committing to any phone hardware or OS yet but WP7 is definitely on my short list.

I like the WP7 'hub' interface design - actually I'd like most anything but a screen full of tiny icons. I love the Office/Live/Zune integration. The ability to test apps before buying is a huge plus I'd not heard about until now.

That said, I'm wary of WP7's limited multitasking - a lot like iOS. It might prove to be no problem at all but would like to know more. Also, I'd probably miss cut-and-paste if that doesn't make it into WP7.

That said, I'm wary of WP7's limited multitasking - a lot like iOS. It might prove to be no problem at all but would like to know more. Also, I'd probably miss cut-and-paste if that doesn't make it into WP7.

Both multitasking and cut/paste will be in the next revision which you should expect to debut in less than a year.

12
posted on 10/08/2010 11:22:26 AM PDT
by Erik Latranyi
(Too many conservatives urge retreat when the war of politics doesn't go their way.)

After almost 2 years with an iPhone, just recently upgraded from 3G to 4, I haven’t found cut & paste to be that bit of a deal. I almost never use it, and it wouldn’t really impact me much if it wasn’t available.

I’m really looking forward to getting a WP7 - I’ll give my iPhone 4 to my wife and never look back. I’m REALLY looking forward to un-installing iTunes. I hate it. I also have a Zune HD, and the Zune software is much better than iTunes.

14
posted on 10/08/2010 11:25:51 AM PDT
by msgt
(Press any key to continue...Press any other key to quit.)

Hubs. The hubs concept is one of the smartphone paradigm shifts imagined by Microsoft. Grouping apps and functions based on general categories is an innovative and effective means of navigating the smartphone. Case in point--since Apple introduced the ability to nest apps in folders under iOS 4.0 I have essentially gone through and implemented a similar concept by creating categorized folders and housing the appropriate apps there. The iPhone version just requires more manual effort on my part.

Uh. My Palm Centro has this, and its OS has been around since the mid-1990s. Not exactly groundbreaking.

Showing how WP7 is still WAY behind. By then Android 3.x will be mature and shipping on all Android phones, and Apple will probably be at iOS 5. Microsoft, always forgetting to lead moving targets.

What IOS was iPhone on when Android launched? And already Android is selling more than iPhones in the US. Nothing is permenant. Not saying Windows Phone 7 is great (haven't seen it yet), but this market is too new to declare someone the victor already.

33
posted on 10/08/2010 1:08:19 PM PDT
by for-q-clinton
(If at first you don't succeed keep on sucking until you do succeed)

Google android is snoopy and intrusive on privacy in order to collect marketing data.

Is there a patch/workaround for this yet? I'm interested in Android but not interested in giving Google any information, for free or any other way. Well, maybe a picture of my bare, hairy azz, but that's it.

34
posted on 10/08/2010 1:09:43 PM PDT
by Still Thinking
(Freedom is NOT a loophole!)

Cut and paste is not a big deal!? I find that amazing. If I couldn’t quote FR posts from my iPhone it would be useless. I use my phone as a personal computer and mail client more than my desktop. If you don’t have a need for cut and paste, you must not be using your phone to the fullest of its computer abilities.

Speaking of Palm.... Wonder what in the H...***l HP is going to do with that acquisition...?

The same thing Carly did with Compaq; kill it and company profits.

Besides her being a RINO, that was the thing that really pissed me off about that acquisition. I met her once when I worked at the Roseville, CA campus doing desktop support. Nice lady, but not sure of her political future in this Tea Party climate. RINOs have no place in our world. Lew Platt was a decent dude too. Then there was the Agilent spinoff and their acquisition of the company I worked for and....well, fun times back then.

This is the same mess that led to the Dot Com Bust of the late 1990’s — people repacking the same old ideas as something new, and companies dumping millions of investment dollars into the development of nothing. Eventually, they look around and realize that nothing new has been created and all of those dollars have gone up in smoke. The Emperor has no clothes.

Besides her being a RINO, that was the thing that really pissed me off about that acquisition. I met her once when I worked at the Roseville, CA campus doing desktop support. Nice lady, but not sure of her political future in this Tea Party climate. RINOs have no place in our world. Lew Platt was a decent dude too. Then there was the Agilent spinoff and their acquisition of the company I worked for and....well, fun times back then.

I saw her once making some comments in defense of offshoring engineering and manufacturing positions, to the effect that no one should feel they have right to a given job. OK, then explain why they didn't keep the tech jobs here and offshore the board.

41
posted on 10/08/2010 1:27:25 PM PDT
by Still Thinking
(Freedom is NOT a loophole!)

Usually, holding out until loads of improvements are made, pays off in the long run.

I'm thinking that within a year or so a clear winner will emerge and I can make my selection.

That having been said, I used to jump on every computer bandwagon that came along and as a result, I have in my closet TRS-80 Model I and Model II, a TI-994a (with Extended BASIC and extra RAM), a Commodore 64 and a 128, and the computer I thought showed great promise, The Amiga.

42
posted on 10/08/2010 1:59:07 PM PDT
by capt. norm
(Never underestimate the power of very stupid people in large groups.)

What IOS was iPhone on when Android launched? And already Android is selling more than iPhones in the US.

You still forget one manufacturer on one carrier in only the high-end vs. almost all manufacturers on all carriers from low- to high-end. That creates relative volume for Android. WP7 will be high-end only (at least initially, the minimum specs discount low-end phones) and still have to compete with Android on the volume.

I'm not discounting Microsoft completely. Microsoft could still get a lot of the market by strong-arming manufacturers and threatening to sue.

Microsoft can get trashed in one arena for keeping things backward compatible, and trashed on another for not doing it.

I appreciate that Microsoft didn't make it backwards compatible for once. It lets them lose the Windows Mobile crud and the chains to the stylus. I'm just saying that means Microsoft won't be able to leverage backwards compatibility as has always been done in order to increase marketshare.

I appreciate that Microsoft didn't make it backwards compatible for once. It lets them lose the Windows Mobile crud and the chains to the stylus. I'm just saying that means Microsoft won't be able to leverage backwards compatibility as has always been done in order to increase marketshare.

I don't think backward compatibility with the old WinMo apps is going to be much of an issue. And I think anybody who's ready to declare long term winners and losers in this at this point is severly myopic.

Ill stick with my HTC Touch Pro 2 (Tilt2), that supports BOTH of these features.

I dropped my Touch Pro 2 and got an HTC HD2 from Telstra in Australia. Works incredible on AT&T and I have been playing with a 1 gigahertz processor since March while everybody else is just coming to the party.

49
posted on 10/08/2010 3:52:17 PM PDT
by Erik Latranyi
(Too many conservatives urge retreat when the war of politics doesn't go their way.)

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